Popery condemned by scripture and the fathers - End Time Deception

SCRIPTURE AND THE FATHERS.
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were profitable to implore the mercy of God for*
those who had been sinners, but had repented,
and to obtain for them a recompence for all, in
the resurrection of the just *.
Aerius, the R. will perceive, opposed the ancient
prayers for the dead upon the most orthodox
principles.
These prayers being gratis jobs, there
might be some danger of neglect or improper performance.
Aerius, therefore, reasoned in the true
spirit of Popery, that if these were actually of
use, they would be most advantageous in the
way of fair trade ;
for then they would be more
frequent, and of course more availing. On the
contrary, Epiphanius showed himself a poor defender
of the Church. He forgot to assign purgatory
as the grand cause of these suppHcations,
and hkewise,
was a commodity for sale.
to show that prayer in the Church
Should the R. ask. Of what use are prayers
for the dead, if there be no purgatory and why
were they made by the Fathers
he ought to recollect
that Protestants are
under no obligations
to reply. It is sufficient for us to have shev/n,
that these did not originate in a belief of Popish
notions. By consulting the writings of the Fathers,
he will find m*any sentiments maintained
about the state of the dead, which are now rejected
even by the Church of Rome, on account
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